Ep 14 - Covering the Famous Host Club!
Covering the Famous Host Club! is the 14th episode of the anime series. The Newspaper Club needs to boost its circulation or it will be disbanded unless club president, Akira Kotmatsuzawa, can get the members of the Host Club to give him an exclusive. When an errant ball knocks the editor in the head and the cause of said injury is none other than Tamaki Suoh, the blond agrees to an exclusive peek into the lives of the hosts despite the objections of every other Host Club member who believe that the Newspaper Club has a hidden agenda. It turns out that they're right! Episode Summary The episode begins in the office of the Newspaper Club with President Akira Komatsuzawa asking his two staff reporters (Chikage Ukyo and Tomochika Sakyo) how many newspapers have been sold; it's exactly two, purchased by the reporters themselves. He informs that if sales don't improve, they'll be disbanded at the end of term. Moreover, he's irritated to learn that the popular and influential Host Club is selling out their photobooks and Renge-produced fanzines. Scene skip to the Host Club conducting business outdoors in Heian Era garb, where the hosts are hard "at work" with their guests: Tamaki is flirting behind the hydrangeas, the twins are playing at matching shells, Kyoya is elucidating the history of the yarimizu channel amidst taking reservations for a future event, while Honey and Mori pretend to be one person eating soba noodles with chopsticks. Haruhi is alone, enjoying the peace and quiet, thinking that she's finally getting the hang of things. Suddenly, she's told to duck by Tamaki who knocks her down just as a kamari ball whizzes by (kamari resembles soccer). He's infuriated with the twins who kicked the ball, though they blame him for not stopping it. Cut to the Newspaper Club with Akira saying they have no choice but to involve the hosts in order to save their club; the reporters being quite wary. Cut back to Tamaki, whose athletic reputation is on the line, pushing him to demonstrate his skill with a powerful but uncontrolled kick, launching the ball into the air until it comes down through a window and smacks Akira in the head. Scene skip to the hosts in the office of the Newspaper Club where Tamaki apologizes. Playing upon the blond's vanity, Akira asks if the newspaper can spotlight the Host Club for the last edition of the term. Tamaki immediately agrees, but the other Hosts see no value to it, given their gossipy rag. Akira then claims to have ecscrutiating head pain and quasi-faints three times, groaning that their club is doomed. Tamaki declares that they can make a fresh start and the hosts will help save their "family," to which the hosts respond by heading out the door. Tamaki commands that they obey him as their leader, yet off they go. Scene skip to Music Room #3 with everyone back in uniform except Tamaki who crouches by a window, idly playing with a mari ball and staring at everyone with "puppy eyes." After trying to resist, they all give in; though Kyoya stipulates that there will be conditions. Kyoya visits the Newspaper Club and outlines the Host Club's terms to which they agree. He leaves a first-aid kit with Akira as a token of good will, prompting Akira to ask if Kyoya is one of the Ootoris whose family is involved in medicine. Kyoya assents, then asks if Akira is serving as editor as future preparation to run Komatsuzawa Publishing. Akira seeks to curry favor with Kyoya, who remains unmoved by Akira's tale of family woe. Kyoya leaves, but the reporters are still nervous about confronting the Host Club. Akira threatens them and their families' livelihoods if they don't help him bring down Tamaki, who he believes is using his parent's authority to control the other members. Scene skip to the following day where the hosts are seen in uniform playing outdoor commoner childrens' games. Akira interviews Haruhi, claiming that he will help her escape Tamaki's coercion if she reveals his "dark side." Haruhi tells him she's never seen it and goes off to play Kick the Can. Tamaki grabs her hand and drags her along to his hiding spot under a table in the garden gazebo. Haruhi tells him a bit about her childhood friends and Tamaki reveals that when he was young, his mother was frail so he didn't have many friends the same age as himself, which is why he's enjoying their games now. Scene skip to an Ouran corridor with Akira telling his reporters that he's going to write a nasty, fictitious story about Tamaki. Upon entering their club room, they're greeted by the hosts (minus Tamaki and Haruhi) who caution Akira not to malign Tamaki because they sincerely like him, and not because he controls them. Akira vows revenge on them all, to which Kyoya says go ahead, then pops a disc out of the bottom of the first-aid kit that has recorded the club since the day before. Kyoya explains that while the Hitachiin and Ootori families could easily destroy the Komatsuzawa family, they would never do so because their families are fundamentally different. Scene skip back outdoors with the hosts discovering Tamaki and Haruhi and telling them that the Newspaper Club is off their backs. Hikaru and Kaoru if Akira and his staff will be able to change their ways. As they return to Music Room #3, Haruhi asks Kyoya if the Suoh family is really such a big deal. He outlines some of their businesses, which include school management. When she inquires, "Which school?" he's taken aback and reveals that it's Ouran Academy. Haruhi is a student at Ouran due, in part, to the generosity of Tamaki's family; a fact that leaves Haruhi without words. Gallery Akira.jpg|Akira Kotmatsuzawa: Editor-in-chief of the failing school newspaper.... unsoldpapers.jpg|...which remains unsold, unread, unwanted. tamakispecial.jpg|Meanwhile, Host Club publications always sell out. rengesfanzine.jpg|Even Renge's fanzine is in its second printing. Category:Image Gallery Notable Quotes Starlight kick! ''-Tamaki'' Character Appearances *Haruhi Fujioka *Tamaki Suoh *Kyoya Ootori *Hikaru Hitachiin *Kaoru Hitachiin *Mitsukuni "Honey" Haninozuka *Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka *Renge Houshakuji *Akira Komatsuzawa *Chikage Ukyo *Tomochika Sakyo Category:Anime Episodes